The Cell: The Basic Functional Unit of Life

Cell is the smallest and the basic functional unit of life. Every organism, whether prokaryotic, archaeans, or eukaryotic, is composed of a basic building block which is the Cell. A cell consists of a cell membrane, a nucleus, and a cytoplasm where intricate arrangements of fine fibers and organelles lie. Cells are specialized for a specific purpose, they form tissues which in turn form organs, and several organs make up the system, and several systems that function together form the organism. The present chapter aims to describe the body, tissues, system, organism, and the structure and function of the major cell organelles with a focus on eukaryotic cells.